1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an animal litter with increased moisture retention and accelerated absorbency, a method of manufacture and method of use for indoor urine and feces disposal.
2. Background Art
Animal litter is typically used for indoor urine and feces disposal to simulate the natural instincts of animals to excrete in soft soil for easy burial. The litter is generally composed of clay, recycled paper, or silicate-based granular material. A deodorant or fragrance may be added to mask the odor of the urine and feces.
Small animals kept in cages such as mice, hamsters and gerbils require frequent changes of the litter to keep cages clean and sanitary. Laboratory animals also require a non-toxic litter to reduce the effect of the environment on animal testing. Many animal litters are not biodegradable and they are difficult to dispose of by flushing the litter down the toilet. Alternatively, the amount of litter disposed of in landfills leads to an enormous amount of waste that is not biodegradable.
There is a need to produce an animal litter material which is more highly absorbent. Additives have been used to improve moisture retention and increase the time between changes of the animal litter. However, these additives frequently increase the cost of the litter material, and are not always as effective as desired for their intended purpose. There is also a need to have an animal litter that is biodegradable, does not clog toilets and reduces the amount of non-degradable waste in landfills.